Oxygen cylinders are seen before they are delivered to different hospitals at a gas supplier facility.
The Union Home Ministry on Thursday said that no restriction shall be imposed on the movement of Medical Oxygen between the state and transport authorities shall be instructed to accordingly allow free inter-state movement of oxygen-carrying vehicles.
The MHA order further said, "no authority shall attach the oxygen-carrying vehicles passing through the district or areas for making supplies specific to any particular district(s) or areas."
The MHA order further states that no restrictiosn shall be imposed on oxygen manufacturers and suppliers to limit the oxygen supplies only to the hospitals of the state/UT in which they are located.
Meanwhile, earlier in the day, Delhi High Court directed the Centre to ensure oxygen is supplied to the national capital as per the allocation order and is transported without any hindrance.
The high court said there has to be strict compliance of oxygen allocation order issued by the Centre and non compliance would attract criminal action.
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A bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli said the Centre's allocation of oxygen for Delhi from plants in other states like Haryana was not being respected by the local administration there and it needs to be resolved immediately.
It directed the central government to provide adequate security to lorries transporting oxygen and to form dedicated corridors for the same.
The directions came after the Delhi government told the court that oxygen that was to come from Panipat in Haryana was not being allowed to be picked up by the local police there.
The Delhi government also told the court that oxygen which was to be picked up from some units in Uttar Pradesh could also be not lifted from there.
With regard to Delhi government's suggestion to transport oxygen by air, the bench said research by its legal researchers has shown that airlifting of oxygen was very dangerous and it has to be transported either by road or rail.
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